hypnotism

American  

[hip-nuh-tiz-uhm] / ˈhɪp nəˌtɪz əm /

noun

1. the science dealing with the induction of hypnosis.

2. the act of hypnotizing.

3. hypnosis.

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hypnotism British  

/ ˈhɪpnəˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. the scientific study and practice of hypnosis

2. the process of inducing hypnosis

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Other Word Forms

• hypnotist
  noun
• hypnotistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hypnotism

Shortening of neuro-hypnotism, term introduced by British surgeon James Braid (1795–1860) in 1842; see hypnotic, -ism

Explanation

The act of putting someone into a hypnotic trance is called hypnotism, and it's usually done by a hypnotist. Some doctors use hypnotism to help patients break bad habits and addictions like smoking. There are also hypnotists who work as entertainers, using hypnotism to put volunteers into mesmerized states and then suggesting they do silly things to make the audience laugh. The original term was neuro-hypnotism, coined in 1842 by Dr. James Braid, who was an early researcher and practitioner of hypnotism.

Example Sentences

The plot also includes a disturbing case of mass hypnotism and mind control.

From Washington Post • Jun. 30, 2021

I’ve gone there every couple of months or so for nearly four years, since my friend Betsy Ann Cowley bought the town from some people who had run a hypnotism school there since the mid-1990s.

From Slate • Nov. 20, 2018

"He had the old power idea of hypnotism," Freeman told investigators, according to "Killing the Dream," an account of King's assassination by Gerald Posner.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2018

And don't get me started on the implausibility of the hypnotism.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2017

What he was not interested in was hypnotism and prehistoric animals, as some pop-culture articles indicated.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady